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Enhanced NICS Background Checks For Persons Under 21 to Start Nov. 14

Written by jon rydberg

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November 01, 2022

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White text atop red background next to FBI NICS seal over NICS Participation Map

As a result of the passage of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA) of 2022, the NICS Section has been working towards the implementation of an enhanced background check process for persons between the ages of 18-20. The enhancement provides the opportunity for additional outreach and research to be conducted regarding the existence of any juvenile adjudication information and/or mental health prohibition. As a result, transactions on persons between the ages of 18-20 will initially be delayed allowing for the additional outreach. To conduct this outreach and research, the address of the individual will be collected so that the appropriate local law enforcement entities may be contacted.

For all FFLs conducting checks through the FBI, the enhanced process for persons under the age of 21 will begin on November 14, 2022.

NICS transactions for persons under the age of 21 could be extended for a period up to ten (10) business days. As a result, it is possible for an FFL to be contacted with an updated Brady Transfer Date in certain scenarios. In these situations, NICS staff will be calling to advise of the change. For now, any updated Brady Transfer Date received from the NICS Section should be notated in Block 32 of the ATF Form 4473. Please remember when telephonically contacted by the NICS Section, you will be asked to verify your FFL license number and codeword. In preparation, this may be information you want to have handy for your staff and/or remind them of. If you are a NICS E-Check user, please note calls related to any change to the Brady Transfer Date will be a temporary solution until the NICS can be updated to automatically send the change in date via the E-Check.

Please note, if no potentially prohibiting information is located, the transaction will proceed as soon as possible. All descriptive information, including address, will follow normal purge requirements (i.e., deleted from NICS within 24 hours of the FFL receiving a proceed status.)

If you have store locations in states serving as a Point of Contact (POC) state, meaning a state entity conducts the NICS checks, please note the enhanced process for persons under the age of 21 may have already been implemented and/or will be implemented as soon as practicable.

The NICS Section is working in collaboration with numerous other entities in the implementation of all aspects of the BSCA and will keep you informed as additional information and/or guidance becomes available

For questions, please contact nicsliaison@fbi.gov or call (844) 265-6716.

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The official text is at 91 FR 24357, Federal Register Volume 91, Issue 87 (May 6, 2026), pages 24357–24362. The docket is also open for comment at regulations.gov (Docket ATF-2026-0009) through midnight Eastern on June 5, 2026. This rule is part of ATF’s broader New Era of Reform package announced earlier this spring — see Orchid’s previous coverage of the Trump DOJ / ATF rule reforms for FFLs.

Unlike many publications on the Federal Register, this change was posted as a Direct Final Rule, making it immediately effective August 4, 2026 without a separate notice-for-comment cycle — unless significant adverse comments are received by June 5.

 

What Didn’t Change?

Permitting FFLs to verify a transferee’s license via ATF eZ Check does not eliminate the regulatory mandate to actually verify the transferee’s license prior to a firearm transfer. The change is in the method of verification — not whether verification is required.

 

Orchid Customers Already Benefit

Orchid eBound, POS, and eCommerce have integrated directly with ATF FFL eZ Check for years. Every FFL transfer routed through your account is already being validated against ATF’s live data — no separate window, no PDF chasing, no manual license-number lookup. This is the same architecture that helped Orchid stay compliant through the ATF Ruling 2021R-05 changes and powers Orchid’s ATF Transaction Advisory Program for retail dealers.

For higher-volume transferors — manufacturers, distributors, and ERP-driven FFLs — our eFFL API delivers FFL and Letter of Authorization (LOA) data directly into the systems where your team actually works. The eFFL API is in production at customers running BSP NetSuite, Epicor, Infor, and other major ERPs, and is widely used inside eCommerce checkout flows to geo-select valid FFL ship-to destinations. See, for example, Prudent American’s launch with Orchid eBound, eSerial, eFFL API and the BSP NetSuite Firearms Edition (part of the JJE Capital Holdings family, alongside Palmetto State Armory).

 

Questions?

Contact your Orchid customer service or compliance services representative, or visit the Orchid eBound page or Orchid eState / eFFL API page to learn more.

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